Carlisle flights delayed

A recruitment crisis leading to a shortage of air traffic controllers was blamed last week for delaying by three months the launch of scheduled daily flights by Loganair at Carlisle Lake District Airport. The flights were due to start today, Monday (BTN 19 March).

Airport owner the Stobart Group had said in the past it wanted to establish a training academy at the airport to tackle the skills shortage in the UK aviation industry but the plans were too late to prevent the flights postponement

Stobart head of corporate projects Kate Willard said: “About three months ago we commenced discussions with the University of Cumbria and South Essex College with a view to developing a skills hub at Carlisle.

“There's a real opportunity to develop people here. We're looking at a range of different levels: ground handling, customer services, air traffic control itself. We will be announcing a timetable for that in the next few weeks."

Carlisle MP John Stevenson welcomed the prospect of aviation personnel being trained there and said the delay in starting flights was “unfortunate and slightly disappointing”

However, he added: “At the end of the day, they've got to make sure they're getting it right. I think people should get behind the airport and recognise the massive opportunity it brings."

www.carlisleairport.co.uk

Index/Home page
 

OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum